Field
The embodiments generally relate to extending wireless communications among secure communities, and more particularly, to providing a portable self-contained mesh capable device capable of forming a local area ad hoc network and providing networked relay gateway functions.
Background
Presently, a plethora of disparate communications resources exist including resources using private wireless communications (e.g., public safety and first responder communications networks), public switched network communications resources, public wireless networks, networks of video surveillance devices, private security networks, and the like. Additionally, millions of consumers and public officials are now equipped with smartphone devices that include multiple communications abilities including both voice and video communications.
Often these communications resources cannot communicate with each other. For example, private wireless communication networks, such as those used by public safety or commercial users, are typically isolated from one another and utilize different and often incompatible technologies. While interoperability products are available to interconnect such diverse systems, cooperation among the entities involved is often a barrier to full and scalable implementation. Thus, first responder communication systems exist (e.g., silo-ed communications systems), where control of the resources of each organization coupled to the system is controlled by a central administrator or controller, and each organization providing resources to the system must relinquish control of its resources to the central administrator. The organization responsible for the operation of its radio system(s) may be unable or unwilling to grant control of its resources either to peer organizations or to a higher-level organization.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,643,445, entitled Interoperable Communications System and Method of Use, issued on Jan. 5, 2010, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,320,874, entitled System and Method for Establishing an Incident Communications Network, issued on Nov. 27, 2012, both of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety, describe systems and methods for providing an interoperable communications system (“interop system,” also referred to as an Incident Communications Network) including a plurality of otherwise disjunct or disparate communications systems that addressed the deficiencies of prior art systems. The '445 and '874 patents specifically describe methods for establishing an incident communications network that enables interoperable communications among communications resources controlled by multiple organizations during an incident involving emergency or pre-planned multi-organization communications wherein a communications resource is controlled by an administrator within an organization.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 8,364,153, entitled Mobile Interoperability Workstation Controller Having Video Capabilities within an Incident Communications Network, issued on Jan. 29, 2013, (“Mobile IWC Patent”) which is also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, extends the concepts of the '445 and '874 patents. Namely, the Mobile IWC Patent includes enhanced video capture and streaming capabilities that are integrated with incident information and events to facilitate improved management and analysis of incidents or events in which an incident communications network is employed.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,811,940, entitled Dynamic Asset Marshalling Within an Incident Communications Network, issued on Aug. 19, 2014, (“Marshalling Patent”) which is also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, extends the concepts of the '445 and '874 patents. Namely, the Marshalling Patent provides systems and methods that marshal resources into an incident communications network based on a variety of factors, such as the type of incident and the type of resource being marshaled.
U.S. Patent Publication 2013/0198517, entitled Enabling Ad Hoc Trusted Connections Among Enclaved Communication Communities, filed on Mar. 13, 2013, (“Enclaved Application”) which is also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. extends the concepts of the '445 and '874 patents. Namely, the Enclave Application presents systems and methods for dynamic access among secure communities, such as incident communications networks, that enables communication resources of a first secure community to securely access and/or utilize communication resources within other secure communities.
Inadequate Body-Worn Cameras
The use of body worn cameras by law enforcement personnel and soldiers is becoming more common to document events as they occur in the field. In some instances, systems have been devised that enable body-worn cameras to record video data and stream the video data to another receiving point such as a control or viewing station. Streaming can be accomplished over a wireless network connection via a radio transceiver coupled to a body worn video camera.
There are at least three general technical problems with existing body-worn cameras. First, a user (e.g., a law enforcement officer) must activate the body worn camera and users often forget to do so during chaotic or stressful situations. Second, if the body-worn camera is left in an active recording state to avoid the first problem, other issues arise. For example, the practical duration for active recording is limited by the finite camera-based data storage capacity of the body-worn camera device. When the camera-based data storage capacity is increased to accommodate the continuous recording state, the size of the body-worn device likewise increases and becomes less desirable. Alternatively, the camera-based data storage may be overwritten when capacity is reached, but important video data may be lost. If streaming is employed to offload the video data from the camera-based data storage by transmitting the video data to a different storage, the video data transmission consumes significant wireless bandwidth thereby resulting in excessive costs especially when utilizing commercial wireless broadband services. In addition, continuous recording and/or streaming is power intensive and small batteries in a body-worn camera are typically insufficient for extended use.
The third general technical problem is that current body-worn cameras are standalone systems and are not connected to, or integrated with communications devices typically used in responding situations, such as radios and mobile phone devices. Even when the video data is streamed to a different storage, the video data is electronically transmitted to a fixed and pre-determined reception point not accessible by users of typical communications devices. In the case of a distress situation, voice communication is typically established over a radio channel enabling for example, push to talk (PTT) communications among radio end points (e.g., users with PTT mobile units) in the same channel and dispatch communications centers. A first person viewing the video data streamed from a body-worn camera is not able to speak with the user wearing the body-worn camera. And, a second person that can speak (e.g., have voice communications established) with the user wearing the body-worn camera cannot view the video data streamed from the user's body-worn camera. When a third person is from a different agency or a different department, the third person can neither speak with the user wearing the body-worn camera, nor view video data from the user's body-worn camera in the absence of pre-planning and the issuance of access credentials. The various silo-ed communications systems limit the ability for personnel to communicate in real time and share video data streamed from a body-worn camera in a seamless and cohesive manner.
Inadequate Access to Wide Area Network
In some instances, a first responder wears a body-worn camera to record video data and stream the video data to another receiving point such as a control or viewing station. When a first responder enters a building without network connectivity, the responder may lose radio communications and may be unable to have voice communications or stream video data over a wireless network as events unfold.